The awards, which cover 8 categories, brought in over 2300 entries from 64 countries. This exhibiton includes the winners and a selection of shortlisted work. The categories cover Advertising, Books, Children's Books, Design, Editorial, Public Realm, Self Initiated and Research & Knowledge Communication.

Josh Patterson - Bramwell Brown Weather Clock - Design (New Talent)

Whether serious or light hearted the work showcases the best illustration work out there. I've just selected a few of my favourites. And of course my very favourite was Kate Jenkins' work - but that's not surprising really. Kate's textile art is witty and wonderful!

We held our preview Brilliant Bird workshops in preparation for the Brilliant Birds Yarnstorm in Rowntree Park later this year. It was lovely to meet everyone who came along. Here are some of the makes...

#BrilliantBirds & Giant Leaves

...and quite a number went home to be finished off so we're looking forward to those birds flying in too! We met up with some old friends but also had new people come and join us which was just perfect! In fact we were chatting so much in the afternoon I forgot to take any photos. I'll try not to let that happen again!

The Get Creative campaign is run by a group of cultural organisations to celebrate and support creativity. We certainly enjoyed getting creative!

#BrilliantBirds take to the bushes

Thanks so much to Gaynor at Olive's Nest for letting us roost there for our #BrilliantBirds Workshops and for keeping us fuelled with tea, coffee and biscuits! We had a lovely day.

Saturday, 1 April 2017

What are we doing?
In May it's Craft & Design Monthwhich celebrates crafts across the UK, and with your help, Deborah New & I plan
to make a giant Brilliant Birds installation for Rowntree Park, York in time for
the Rowntree Park Birthday Party on Sunday 16 July 2017.

Workshops

Two of our workshops are during the Voluntary Arts Festival 2017 (5-14 May). This is an annual celebration of
cultural creativity across the UK & Republic of Ireland.

We are also embracing

The Get Creative campaign is run by a group of cultural organisations to celebrate and support creativity. So at our Brilliant Bird workshops, you can unleash your creativity with knitting, stitching,
pompom making, finger knitting, knitting with very large needles and hopefully even some hula hoop weaving.

Drop in – all materials provided and leave your makes behind for display in the park.

Want to
join in but can't make a workshop?
If you can't get to any of the workshops but still want to be involved you'll
find some Brilliant Bird Patterns here. In all there are five different knitting and stitching patterns, including a cheeky knittted blackbird and a colourful knitted hummingbird by Sue Stratford. Why not give them all a try?

Completed birds can be left at Rowntree Park Cafe, Rowntree Park,
Richardson Street, York, YO23 1JU or dropped off at any of the workshops
(see above). If you use twitter or instagram why not post a picture and use
#BrilliantBirds in your post.

And
you don't have to use these patterns - we'd be happy to have a knitted,
stitched, felted or crocheted bird of your preferred design.

All birds to fly in by Saturday 10 June 2017 please.

When will the installation be up?The Brilliant Birds installation goes up in Rowntree Park on Tuesday 27 June
(by the tennis courts, near the café and beyond), weather permitting, and will be on display until
after the Rowntree Park Birthday Party on Sunday 16 July 2017.

And afterwards?

The charity we are pleased to be supporting this year is St Leonard's Hospice. St Leonard’s Hospice is an independent charity, providing specialist
palliative care and support for local people with life limiting
illnesses. Whilst their care is free of charge to patients and their families it is not free to provide. So, after the birds come down they will be sold in St Leonard's Hospice shops and at their events to raise funds for their services.

About Me

I create contemporary jewellery and textiles, making use of constructed fabric, buttons and other stuff too. And when I’m not doing that I’m probably yarnstorming, planning the next yarnstorming project or blogging about what I’ve seen, what I’m doing or what I’ve learnt.